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Innabuyog Statement on the
Occasion of Internation Working Women's Day
Sa
Marso 8, Babae, Bata at Bayan, kaisa ang OFW at Pamilya –
Sama-sama Nating Ituloy ang Laban at Isulong ang Pulitika ng Pagbabago!
On this
day dedicated to the world’s women, we link our arms and raise
clenched fists in unity and conviction to continue the fight for
women’s rights. The observance of International Women’s
Day was born out of the historic struggles of toiling women around
the world in the pursuit of justice and equality. These struggles
continue up to this day, as we urge all women in the Cordillera
to play a part in this concerted drive towards meaningful social
change.
Oppression
of Women
All sectors of women bear their own particular burdens and forms
of oppression.
• Women peasants sweat under a stunted agricultural economy,
oppressed by imperialist policies of agricultural liberalization
and globalization.
• Indigenous women face displacement from their ancestral
lands due to development aggression and militarization.
• Women laborers work hard and long hours for dirt-low wages
under inhumane working conditions and job insecurity due to labor
contractualization.
• Urban poor women face demolition of their homes and loss
of livelihood as they are pushed to the sidelines by the city government’s
development programs.
• Women students scrimp and scrape to pay their tuition and
other expenses through various means of self-support.
• Women overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) endure indebtedness
and separation from their loved ones as they brave the risks to
life, mind, limb and dignity while they work abroad to earn a living
and support their families.
• Women and children of all sectors suffer discrimination
and often fall victim to violence and abuse.
Economic
Crisis
Life is indeed getting more difficult under the present economic
crisis, and women bear on their shoulders a big bulk of this burden
for survival. Overall, the socio-economic conditions of the people
are worsening due to rising prices of basic commodities and services
such as food, water, fuel, electricity, shelter, transportation,
communication, education and health. The daily cost of living is
now P552.40 for a family of six. Poverty incidence was 31.2% in
the Cordillera Region (NSCB 2003).These realities belie government
claims of a booming economy. The national economy is largely dependent
on remittances of OFWs, which amounted to $12 billion in 2006.
Political
Manipulation
Meanwhile, our nation is subjected to serious political maneuverings
by the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administration, with dangerous implications
on our lives as women and as Filipino citizens. Congress has just
passed the Anti-Terrorism Bill. This could mean that anyone expressing
legitimate criticisms against the GMA government could be branded
as a terrorist. Even before the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Bill,
the government, through the military and its death squads, had already
struck down activists, church people, media and the legitimate opposition.
The military’s Operation Plan Bantay Laya has resulted in
a spate of extrajudicial political killings and disappearances,
with more than 832 dead and 193 missing since 2001 to date.
The Philippine
– US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) is up for review. The
VFA provides for joint military “Balikatan exercises”,
which lay fertile conditions for the exploitation and rape of Filipinas
by US soldiers. The concrete case of “Nicole” who was
raped by Cpl. Daniel Smith in Subic is still a controversial issue
after the GMA government, under the cover of night, spirited away
the convicted rapist to the safety of the US embassy. Despite the
controversy, another round of Balikatan exercises has already started,
apparently as a reward for GMA from the US , in exchange for Smith’s
custody.
The May
elections are just around the corner. We know from experience that
elections in the Philippines have always been dirty, ruled by guns,
goons and gold. Election results are determined, not by the electorate,
but by the rich and powerful. The “Hello Garci” expose’
is just a peek into the unscrupulous dealings of traditional politicians
during the elections.
Still
impending is GMA’s plan for Charter Change - an attempt to
extend her term in power and further clip our civil liberties and
sovereignty. She was forced to temporarily shelve her Charter Change
bid due to widespread outrage and protests from all sides.
Get
Involved. Advance the Politics of Change.
Now is the time to get involved and advance new politics for change.
We can either bear our cross in silence, or we can raise our voices,
pick up our tools, utensils, pens, paper, what have you, and use
these in any way we can to protest against the injustices that women,
children and the nation are being made to endure.
The coming
election is a good opportunity to advance the new politics of change.
We can
use the electoral campaign and all other avenues to educate women
and the wider public on the prevailing national situation and on
the rights of women, children, OFWs and their families.
We can use the elections to forward our agenda for the protection
of women’s rights to include economic security, welfare and
basic services, freedom from all forms of violence and discrimination,
providing space for women’s participation in all political
processes, and justice for victims of violence and human rights
violations.
We can challenge candidates and political parties to take up our
cause. We can support those with a sincere commitment and a good
track record of upholding women’s and people’s rights
and welfare.
We can work for greater women’s voice and representation in
Congress by supporting the Gabriela Women’s Party, the only
sectoral women’s party, towards gaining three congressional
seats through the partylist elections.
Social
change is necessary to overcome women’s oppression.
Beyond the elections, it is necessary to take part in thoroughgoing
social change to end women’s oppression. Women need to organize,
educate and mobilize in order to address our concerns and fight
for our interests as part of the continuing struggles of toiling
women around the world. A woman’s place is in the struggle,
alongside other oppressed classes and sectors. We should unite with
our fellow-Filipinos to build a Philippine society that truly enjoys
sovereignty, democracy, equality, justice and peace. #
Innabuyog-GABRIELA
Cordillera, Gabriela Women’s Partylist
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